Criminal Procedure Act Amendments Take Effect... National Investigation Headquarters Launches On-Site Support Team

Three-Tier Support System: Police Stations, City/Provincial Agencies, and National Investigation Headquarters

The National Police Agency is launching a support team to help new systems take root ahead of changes to the criminal justice framework.

Seoul Seodaemun-gu, National Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Headquarters. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang

On September 28, the National Police Agency announced that ahead of the enforcement of the amended Criminal Procedure Act on October 2, it will establish and operate a dedicated on-site consultation and support task force (TF) at three levels: police stations, city and provincial police agencies, and the National Investigation Headquarters. This preemptive measure aims to reduce confusion in field law enforcement regarding statutory interpretations that may arise during the initial implementation of the new criminal justice framework.

Field investigators will be able to raise queries about issues that are difficult to resolve only through statutory interpretations and investigative guidelines by using the internal Criminal Justice Information System (KICS) bulletin board or by phone. The first round of consultations will occur at the police station level. Matters that cannot be resolved there will be passed on sequentially to city/provincial police agencies and then to the National Investigation Headquarters. The National Investigation Headquarters will promptly coordinate with other agencies on contentious issues that require discussion and, if necessary, revise or supplement investigative guidelines.

To ensure swift and professional responses, each dedicated team will be staffed robustly. The frontline police station teams will consist of heads of investigation departments and staff responsible for various functions such as investigations, criminal cases, women and youth, and traffic investigations, as well as KICS personnel. At city and provincial police agencies, the heads of investigation deliberation and the entire investigation cooperation team, along with their KICS personnel, will be available at all times.

The dedicated team within the National Investigation Headquarters will set up a separate consultation space in its office building to begin joint work, and will respond swiftly and consistently to on-site investigators' inquiries throughout the enforcement process of the amended law.

An official from the National Police Agency stated, "We will respond swiftly to the voices of on-site investigators so that the new criminal justice framework can become firmly established," adding, "We will operate a preemptive support system ahead of the enforcement of the new system to ensure everything is thoroughly prepared."

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